No stopping triumphant Unam

Andrew Poolman FNB University of Namibia (Unam) won their fourth title in the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) premier league on Saturday, and their first since the club’s history-making treble in 2015, 2016 and 2017.The 30-20 win over FNB Western Suburbs at Hage Geingob Stadium came after coach Johan Diergaardt’s side had been ahead 16-10 at halftime.Flyhalf Delron Brandt was one of the stars for the student team, scoring a drop goal, three penalties and a conversion (14 points), while also playing a big role as an attacking playmaker and keeping Suburbs pinned back in their own half with long tactical kicks and touch-finders.Western Suburbs struck the first blow after three minutes, when prop Roderique Victor reacted quicky to referee Zaid Isaacs awarding a free kick near the goalline and crashing over. Flyhalf Justin Nel failed with the conversion attempt.The Khomasdal club showed they mean business, adding their second try after 19 minutes, winning a turnover in Unam territory before Nel sent a cross-field kick into the hands of his left wing and captain Gino Wilson, who dived over in the corner despite his opponent Darryl Wellmann’s desperate tackle.Again Nel failed to convert, while three penalties by Brandt kept Unam within touch (9-10) after 29 minutes.Two minutes later, Suburbs suffered a blow when inside centre Devereux Jansen was sent to the sinbin for a high tackle.Unam exploited the advantage of an extra player to build up pressure until their captain and inside centre Alcino Izaacs crashed over for a try close to the posts after 40 minutes, which Brandt converted to put Unam ahead for the first time (16-10).Hitting backSuburbs hit back immediately after halftime, setting up a lineout maul from which their solidly built number eight, Tjingairi Katjivi, broke away to storm to a try, which Nel converted to retake the lead.Suburbs fullback Ricardo Swartz added three valuable points when his long-range penalty from beyond the 10-metre line went over (49 minutes), but after leading 20-16, his team failed to add to their score after this.Brandt closed the gap with a sharp drop goal, before exploiting the tiring Suburbs defence by breaking wide to the right and sending Izaacs over in the corner with his inside pass (59 minutes), after the driving play of the Unam forwards manipulated the defence to create the space and the mismatch Brandt needed.The flyhalf could not convert the difficult kick in windy conditions, but, along with fullback Chad Plato, kept Suburbs pinned back with strategic tactical kicking to keep them from scoring in the late minutes. Plato also added two more penalties to make the final result 30-20.Spectators ‘robbed’The five-week delay before the final could be played caused a lot of disruption on both sides, with both clubs conceding two players each for the national side’s November tour.The expulsion of FNB Wanderers - found guilty by a disciplinary committee on a charge of using ineligible players - probably robbed spectators of the final they would have really wanted to see. Wanderers lost two matches, but finished second and were the only side to beat log leaders Unam this season, while Suburbs suffered four defeats, including the semi-final to Wanderers.Just like some finals in previous years, Saturday’s had also been watered down somewhat through an overlap with the national side’s commitments to prevent a real strength versus strength spectacle.However, Brandt, Izaacs, Wellmann, Plato and Cameron Langenhoven (Unam), as well as Katjivi and Wilson are among those who have enhanced their reputations and kept themselves in the conversation for national team selection.Meanwhile, FNB Kudus second team took the NRU reserve league title to Walvis Bay, beating Suburbs II in the final 32-17.

No stopping triumphant Unam

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Republikein 2025-12-16

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No stopping triumphant Unam

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